Welcome to The Sludgelord!
Presenting up to date news, reviews & interviews for riff addicts around the world.
This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'

Thursday, 12 June 2014

MONOBROW, Big Sky, Black Horse - Album Review

Album Type:Full
Length

Date Released:
June 12th
2014

Label:
Self
Released

Big Sky, Black
Horse - track listing:

1.Cicada 06:20

2. These Mountains
Don't Want Us Here 08:26

3.Ancient Arctic
Wanderer 08:16

4.Old Man
Mouthbreather 04:47

5.The Surveillance
04:20

6.Hamartia 01:20

7.Big Sky, Black
Horse 11:43

8. Immortal Dwarf
(Bonus) 04:29

Bio

Alchemy can be
defined as a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation,
or combination. In the vast frozen fortress that is Canada, Monobrow
are true riff wizards of alchemy. This mammoth trio is set to release
their third album in the spring of 2014. Not unlike a wizard’s
spell book, Big Sky, Black Horse is filled with mind altering, time
shifting casts of pure magic. Staying with their constant mix of
tempo change, groove, and all-out rhythm madness, Monobrow continue
to progress with each outing, once again making waves in the sea that
is the stoner/doom genre.

Sharing the stage
with Blizaro, Witch Mountain, KEN Mode, Iron Man, and Blood Ceremony,
to name a few, Monobrow continue to scorch their mark wherever they
perform. Apparently, one recent performance may have even summoned
spacecraft from another realm, where apparent abductions took place.
This amount of riff wizardry can make even the strongest mind see the
unimaginable. Do yourself a favor and see this band as often as
possible.

Riff wizards from
Canada, who from within their frozen fortress, forge some of the
finest stoner psych-rock. Beware the controlling powers of their
soaring guitar solos, melodic groove, and dynamic arrangements, for
even you will have no choice but to pledge allegiance to these true
wizards of rock alchemy – Monobrow.

Band Members

Brian Ahopelto, Paul
Slater, Sam Beydoun.

Review:

Psychedelic
Instrumental Stoner Rockers - Monobrow – return with their
eagerly awaited 3rd album – Big Sky, Black Horse. Another winning
entry from this highly regarded band whose style of Psych based
Instrumental Rock has won them a loyal fan base within Stoner Rock
community.

The
album sees the band explore into progressive rock territory as their
sound has a classic progressive rock feel to it. It shows the bands
have taken a different step with their music. Opening Track –
Cicada – starts with a dreamy and hazy Stoner riff before the band
start adding progressive rock vibes with sublime drumming coming to
the forefront of everything. Monobrow match modern Stoner Rock
grooves with 70s style Progressive Rock undertones to give this album
the perfect start. Plus it’s a wildly hypnotic psychedelic ride
that we have came to admire from Monobrow.

The
album kicks into overdrive with the 8:26 minute epic – These
Mountains Don’t Want Us Here – which sees the band lay down some
of the heaviest riffs of their career. It is a thundering tale of
Humanity against Nature. A topical issue no matter what timeframe you
match the music against. It has a lush based Stoner/Jazzy influence
going on when the band play some epic Jam-based riffs.

You
are probably thinking does the world need another Instrumental
Stoner Rock band. Well on this evidence. All I can say on this
evidence and two tracks into this excellent album. Yeah We Do!!! –
As Monobrow have created their finest album to date. It instantly
draws you in with the band on fine form through out. The instrumental
work is flawless but it truly comes alive when the band throws
caution to the wind and plays their jam-based riffs, which they have
become known for. Fans of Earthless are going to be in Stoner Rock
heaven. There is no escaping the huge and heavy vibes that Monobrow
have on the remainder for the album.

Monobrow
add elements of Space Rock and Doom Metal on Ancient Arctic Wanderer
and Old Man Mouthbreather. You can tell the band have put some crazy
as heck imagination and effort into the song-titles as much as the
music themselves. It is a truly hypnotic combination that will
hopefully propel Monobrow to the forefront of Instrumental Stoner
Rock as they are one of the best bands the scene has to offer.

The
album is brilliantly played from start to finish and the production
work is just flawless. The sound is very atmospheric as you can hear
every note played with crunching conviction. Big Sky, Black Horse is
a powerful, trippy and cosmic tale of spacey riffs that is a strong
contender for one of the best Instrumental Stoner Rock Albums of
2014. It is seriously that good.

Excellent.
End Of.

Big
Sky, Black Horse is now available to download on BandCampBuy Now Download. Vinyl will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from July 2014. Thanks to the band for sending me a promo to
review.

Band Submissions & Budding Writers

Bands out there who want to be heard of the stoner, sludge, doom, psych, post-metal, experimental, black-metal, death metal persuasion get in touch. We will provide reviews (no guarantee) where possible and share your music at any available opportunity via social media.